Statement of U.S. PIRG Public Health Advocate Liz Hitchcock
A subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee marked up the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008 today.
We
applaud Chairwoman Jackson Lee and the subcommittee for taking action
to protect our nation’s chemical plants. More than six years after
9/11, the lack of a comprehensive federal program to regulate chemical
plant security leaves a hole in our nation’s defenses and places
millions of Americans at risk. Congress must close this hole by
passing legislation to defend against terrorist threats and reduce or
eliminate the consequences of an attack.
The chemical security
bill begins to address the deficiencies in our nation’s chemical plant
defenses, and should continue to improve as it moves through the
Homeland Security Committee.
We strongly support the
requirement of facilities to use safer technologies, such as the use of
safer chemicals, to reduce the consequence of a chemical release.
Requiring companies to use safer chemicals, particularly when safer and
cost-effective technologies are available, is the common-sense way to
make chemical plants safer and more secure.
Congress should
pass legislation that replaces dangerous chemical operations with
feasible safer technologies, integrates employee participation in
safety and security initiatives, and protects the ability of state and
local governments to implement more stringent health, safety and
security requirements
